Believe in Second Chances
by tiburito85
Summary: Callie and Arizona are both injured in a car accident. Can the doctors of Seattle Grace/Mercy West do what it takes to save the people they love?  Story takes place after 7X17.
1. Chapter 1

A/N 1: This is my first fanfic. I have never written anything, much less published anything, but I decided to try something different for my own entertainment :-). Comments and suggestions are appreciated, please leave one below and let me know what you think. :-)

A/N 2: I have no medical knowledge, so some of the conditions/treatments mentioned in this story may not be accurate, or even real. I appologize in advance if this fact bothers anyone.

Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's Anatomy or any of its characters. All characters/storylines belong to Shonda Rhimes. I am just borrowing them for the sake of entertainment.

The car came out of nowhere. One minute they were talking and laughing, re-living the incredible weekend they spent together. The next second was all chaos. The impact of the other car hitting them sent their mini van spiraling out of control.

"Hit the breaks!" Callie shouted as she instinctively threw her arms over her face to protect it from the shattering glass. The blonde slammed her foot down on the break pedal, a mistake that nearly cost them their lives. Because it was snowing, and Arizona failed to see the patch of black ice that loomed dangerously over the road's edge.

The car spun wildly out of control, jumped the railing, and plummeted head-first down the steep cliff. With a sickening crunch, it came to a stop at the base of a tree.

"Shit!" Arizona groaned as the airbag deployed. Her face seared with pain and her head throbbed from the impact of hitting it against the steering wheel. Her right arm felt strangely numb, but other than that, the blonde felt grateful to be alive.

"Calliope, are you alright?" she tried to unbuckle her seatbelt so she could assess her partner's condition, but the contraption was stuck. "Answer me, Calliope!" Silence. Heart pounding, she turned to face her true love. Arizona gasped. Her beautiful face was covered in a million cuts and scratches, drenched in blood from a deep wound just above her right eye. Her arms were a bloody mess; a large piece of glass was protruding from her left arm. Arizona felt sick.

"Oh my god, Callie," the blonde whispered, frantically grabbing the Latina's wrist to feel her pulse. It was barely there. "Stay with me, Calliope! I'm calling for help, don't you dare leave me!" She dug into her pockets and found her pager. With shaking fingers, she managed to type, "_Callie Torres, Arizona Robbins 911_" and hit "send" , just before fading into unconsciousness.

* * *

"What the hell happened?" Mark Sloan demanded as he met the rest of his colleagues outside.

"Mark!" You got the page?" Meredith asked, her eyes sparkling with tears.

"Damn right I got the page. Callie Torres, Arizona Robbins 911? .?"

"They were in a car accident." Owen Hunt spoke up. "Callie's seriously injured." Mark felt sick to his stomach.

"Oh my god. What about Arizona?"

"She has a few cuts and bruises, as well as a broken arm. But other than that, she'll be fine. Kepner and Avery are attending to her in the ambulance. She'll need a head CT; they think she had a concussion." Mark shook his head in disbelief. Callie seriously injured...

"Hunt, how bad is Callie?" Owen looked down, struggling to gain control of his voice before he broke the news to his friend. He needed to tell him exactly right...

"Damn it Hunt! Answer me!" Mark shouted.

"She's...she's hurt real bad, Mark. Blood pressure's through the roof, she has several broken ribs, a collapsed lung, as well as a punctured abdomen. Her right arm is badly damaged and she's lost a lot of blood. She crashed on the way here..."

"WHAT!" At that moment, the ambulance arrived and the doors flew open. Arizona Robbins was rushed inside, screaming.

"You save Callie! Do you hear me? Save Callie! I don't need anything; I can take care of myself! Just please, tend to Callie!"

"We're doing everything we can, Dr. Robbins. Please calm down." April Kepner replied.

"I will not calm down!" Arizona shrieked. "My girlfriend is in there with our baby!" The blonde pushed herself up from the stretcher, ignoring the stab of pain she felt in her arm. "I cannot loose them!"

"Listen to me, Dr. Robbins. I know you want to help, but the best thing you can do for Torres now is to stay calm. You have a lot of injuries, and-" A bitter laugh interrupted Bailey's reasoning.

"Who cares about my injuries? I want to know who's taking care of Callie's!"

"Dr. Shepherd, Sloan, Hunt, Grey and Yang are all in there with her. Dr. Montgomery will arrive shortly to monitor the baby's condition." Bailey reported. "And I will be in and out of there to provide you with updates." Arizona's head was spinning.

"Addison will be here?" she asked. "Wait...the baby...she's ok, right?" It was the first time anyone heard of the baby's gender, and it took Dr. Bailey by surprise.

"_She_?" she asked. But Arizona wasn't listening. Tears filled her eyes at the thought of her partner's fate, and the idea that it was all her fault-was haunting her.

"I need to be in there," she whispered. "Calliope needs me." Dr. Bailey put a hand on her shoulder.

"I understand that, Dr. Robbins. I know how hard this must be for you. But please, if you want to help Callie, she needs you to be strong. And the best way to do that is to allow me to tend to your injuries." Bailey's voice was firm. Arizona sighed and closed her eyes, accepting defeat. There was rarely a point to arguing with Bailey, and besides, the woman had a point. Her arm was throbbing painfully, but the pain she felt in her head was making her feel nauseated. Her vision was slightly blurry and the room seemed to spin around her.

"Thank you," Bailey replied when the blonde didn't argue. "Now, let's get an x-ray of that arm."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N 1: I have no medical knowledge, so some of the conditions/treatments mentioned in this story may not be accurate, or even real. I appologize in advance if this fact bothers anyone.

Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's Anatomy or any of its characters. All characters/storylines belong to Shonda Rhimes. I am just borrowing them for the sake of entertainment.

* * *

"Wait." Arizona whispered. The small movement of the stretcher sent her stomach churning.

"Dr. Robbins?" Bailey asked, concerned. Arizona was chalk-white, and she was having trouble keeping her focus.

"I'm...I think...gonna be sick," she mumbled. Her stomach heaved. Dr. Bailey snatched a garbage can off the floor and held it under her chin just in time for the blonde to throw up into it.

"How do you feel, Dr. Robbins?" Bailey asked when she was finished, studying Arizona's face closely. She noticed her eyes drifting in and out of focus.

"I'm...thinking...Torres...date tonight." Arizona mumbled. "Have to get ready, can't be late..." Bailey frowned.

"Dr. Robbins, you are in the hospital," she reminded her gently. "I have to treat your injuries before you can go on your date."

"Not injured. Calliope waiting for me...need to get ready...you gonna make me late!" The blonde added furiously. Bailey sighed and closed her eyes. Now was not the best time to remind Arizona that Callie was just down the hall. Fighting back her tears, she returned her attention to Arizona.

"Dr. Robbins, can you raise your left arm for me?" Arizona was still mumbling, but she managed to raise her _right_ arm slightly. Dr. Bailey raised her eyebrows, her worst fears were confirmed.

"Kepner!" She barked. Dr. Kepner appeared instantly at her side.

"Yes, Dr. Bailey?"

"Get Shepherd in here now, we need an O.R. for Dr. Robbins."

"But I thought he was attending to Dr. Torres?" April asked.

"He is, but there are plenty of doctors in there and I need to do a head CT of Dr. Robbins-tell him she may need a craniotomy." April's eyes widened in shock.

"A craniotomy? Are you sure? I mean, she was fine an hour ago!"

"Does she look fine to you?" Bailey asked. In that same moment, Arizona started seizing on the stretcher.

"Do not question me, Dr. Kepner! Bring me Shepherd, NOW!" Bailey shouted. April ran off. "Korev, Grey! Start an IV drip, I'm charging the paddles!"

* * *

"Come on, Dr. Torres, stay with us!" Derek begged as he made the first incision. His hands were shaking slightly as he ventured further into the wound-the one that was causing the most damage. The abdomen was punctured and Callie was bleeding out before his eyes. Machines around him started to beep furiously with his first move.

"Damn it!" he muttered under his breath, as the cut he made filled with blood. "Suction!" He ventured further, trying to find the main source of all the blood. Because if he was able to hold it off, then Callie had a chance. Dr. Sloan had removed all the glass from her arms and promised that they would be fully functional; Dr. Hunt was able to repair the collapsed lung. Now it was up to him to do the finishing touches, but due to the baby's position he was finding it harder than he would have imagined.

"Derek, her BP and heart rate are all over the place! I have to get in there!" Addison shouted.

"Not now, Dr. Montgomery!" He needed time. As long as he could locate the bleeder, then Callie would be fine. But it was a lot further in than he had anticipated. There was mass panic as the beeping accelerated.

"She's tachycardic, so is the baby! I'm going in!" Addison took a step forward.

"Addison, DONT MOVE!" he commanded. _Just a little further... _Meredith appeared at his side.

"Derek...the baby..." She pleaded her eyes bright with tears. "Callie can't loose her...please..."

"Meredith..." he knew why she was pleading like this. Because loosing this baby would be like loosing the one they had lost so many months ago. But now was not the time to reminisce over the past.

"I need to get the bleeder," he told her gently. "Now, you can stand there and watch them both die, or you can come here and help me with suction. It's up to you, Dr. Grey." He watched as a single tear slid down his wife's cheek, and he wanted more than anything to hold her and comfort her and tell her it was all going to be ok. But he had a job to do, and saving these two lives were his priority. Meredith nodded and flitted to his side.

"Clamp, please," he told her. He had done it. Against all odds, Derek Shepherd located the impossible bleeder and saved the woman's life.

"Derek...it's been two minutes..." Addison whispered, but Derek held up his hand.

"Someone charge the paddles." Cristina took a deep breath. Praying harder than she'd ever prayed in her entire life, she took a step forward.

"Charge to 200. Clear!" Machines continued to beep frantically. Tears sprang to her eyes. _Come on, Callie! FIGHT! You're a badass ortho surgeon, you need to fight this!" _

"No change. Charge to 300, CLEAR!" the beeping slowed and picked up its normal rhythm.

"Stats?" Derek asked.

"BP stabilizing, heart rate returning to normal. We got her! Good call, Dr. Shepherd." Dr. Hunt announced.

At that moment the door bust open and April ran inside, one hand holding a mask over her nose and mouth.

"Dr. Shepherd, Dr. Bailey needs you to look at a head CT of Dr. Robbins." Derek had his back turned. He was studying the machines, watching as Callie's vital signs continued to improve.

"Now is not the time, Kepner."

"Dr. Shepherd, I know you are busy, but Dr. Robbins just had a seizure and Dr. Bailey thinks she may need a craniotomy. We have her stabilized now, but she was showing all the signs of a concussion just before the seizure." April said in a rush. Derek sighed. Now that it appeared that one of his best friends was going to live, he figured he could step out and review Dr. Robbins's case.

"Mark." he addressed his best friend.

"Yes, Dr. Shepherd?"

"Can you close for me; I need to take a look at Dr. Robbins."

Mark nodded. "Of course."

He turned to face Addison. "That baby better be inside that woman when I return."

He faced the others in the room. "And both of them better be alive."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N 1: I have no medical knowledge, so some of the conditions/treatments mentioned in this story may not be accurate, or even real. I appologize in advance if this fact bothers anyone.

Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's Anatomy or any of its characters. All characters/storylines belong to Shonda Rhimes. I am just borrowing them for the sake of entertainment.

* * *

Derek Shepherd left the O.R with a heavy heart. Even though he knew he had successfully controlled the bleeding, there were still a million things that could go wrong. It wasn't that he didn't trust Mark to do a good job; Mark Sloan was his best friend and he could trust him with his life. He just wondered what would happen to him if something were to happen to his best friend and child while they were under his table. Would Mark be able to pull himself together to do what it took to save them? He realized, too late, that maybe leaving him in charge was a bad idea.

"Dr. Kepner, tell me about Arizona. What exactly happened?" he asked to distract himself.

"Well, she seemed fine when we brought her in." the young resident reported. "She kept assuring us that she was fine, didn't seem to be in any pain as far as I could see. She was more worried about Dr. Torres and her baby." she swallowed, tears filled her eyes. "Avery kept telling me that we should bring her to get a head CT. But I... I was watching her and she...she seemed perfectly normal." she glanced down to the floor, ashamed. "I should have been paying more attention. I obviously missed something." Derek shook his head. If Arizona had what he suspected, then there was nothing the attending could have done differently.

"You did just fine, Dr. Kepner," he told her gently, before she could continue beating herself up. "Please continue."

"About an hour after we brought her in, she complained of nausea and started vomiting. Dr. Bailey asked how she was feeling, but she wasn't making any sense. She kept mumbling over being late for a date with Dr. Torres and didn't seem to remember that she was in the hospital. Her coordination was off, Dr. Bailey asked her to raise her right arm but she lifted her left instead. Soon after that she had a seizure and Dr. Bailey asked me to find you immediately."

Derek nodded. It was as he suspected. If the head CT proved him correct, Arizona had a delayed brain bleed, which meant he needed to get in there fast to avoid serious damage. There was no doubt in his mind at this point. Sure enough, when Dr. Bailey handed him Arizona's scans, a dark shadow in her brain confirmed his theory.

"Damn it," he grumbled.

"Dr. Shepherd?" Bailey asked.

"She's bleeding in her brain. I need to get in there to relieve the pressure fast to avoid any damage. Bailey, set up a team...Kepner, you're scrubbing in. I need all hands on deck." April's eyes widened. After her serious mistake, she couldn't believe he trusted her enough to operate on one of his best friends.

"What? But...I..." she stammered. Dr. Bailey glared at her.

"Don't ask questions," was all she said before marching off to scrub in on the surgery.

* * *

Mark Sloan took a deep breath to calm himself. He couldn't believe that a mere second before, his best friend lay dying on the table with his unborn daughter. After today, he would be grateful to Derek for the rest of his life. Now, he struggled to control his emotions as he prepared to close up the last of Callie's wounds. All he wanted now was for Callie to wake up safe in his arms, to tell her just how much he loved her...

Sudden beeping interrupted his thoughts.

"Damn it! What's happening?" Christina yelled as Callie's blood pressure spiked for the second time.

"The baby's not getting enough oxygen. I have to get her out or we'll loose them both!" Addison shouted.

"Hold it, Addison! Derek said to keep my kid in there!" Mark shouted back. He felt sick at the very thought of loosing his daughter.

"Shit, Mark! I know what he said, but I'm telling you that we could loose them both if that baby doesn't come out now. I'm going in. Scalpel!" Addison held out her hand. Mark started to feel dizzy as he watched Addison make the incision. Suddenly, he couldn't be in that room a minute longer.

"Owen." he said in a choked whisper. "I need you to finish for me. I can't...please." his hands were shaking violently and the tears in his eyes were making impossible to see.

"I've got it, Sloan." Owen replied gently. Mark hurried out of the room as fast as he could. He was angry at himself for being such a coward, but the thought of loosing his best friend and daughter was too much for him to bear. He sank into a sofa in one of the on-call rooms and buried his face in his hands, hoping someone will come to find him with news of their fate. To his surprise, the door opened and a moment later, Lexie Grey walked in.

"Lexie," he mumbled. Lexie looked up and when she saw Mark, all the color drained from her face.

"Oh god, Mark...no." she sank on the couch next to him.

"It's not what you think, Lexie," Mark assured her. But it had come close. "Callie is going to be fine." he wanted desperately to believe his own words.

"And the baby?" Lexie asked.

"Addison had to get her out before...before it was too late." Lexie looked confused.

"So what are you doing here then? I thought you'd be in there with Callie."

"I was. We were just finishing up the surgery when she...started coding. Addison said the baby wasn't getting enough oxygen and needed to get her out before it was too late. I couldn't be in there, Lexie...I couldn't..." he stared at her with desperation. Lexie understood. She wrapped an arm around his waist and squeezed tightly, giving him the strength he needed.

"Arizona is in surgery," she said to distract him from his pain. It worked.

"WHAT! What happened? She was fine!"

"That's what we all thought. She had a seizure about an hour after we brought her in." Mark shook his head, dazed.

"So Derek is operating on her now?" he asked. Lexie nodded.

"She had a delayed brain bleed so he needed to get in there fast. If everything went normally, he should be about done." she checked her watch. "It's been over 3 hours. I'll go see what's going on and come back with an update, ok?" Mark nodded. Lexie opened the door and was about to walk out when Mark grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Lexie," he whispered. His eyes sparkled with tears. "I...I know I messed things up between us. But I want you to know that I never stopped loving you, not even for a minute. I will always be here for you, Little Grey. I love you." Lexie was taken by surprise. There were a million things she wanted to say to him. She wanted to hug him and kiss him and reassure him that everything was going to be ok. But she couldn't speak. Instead, she jerked her head in a quick nod.

"I know," she whispered, before she hurried out of the room.

* * *

_So, what do you think so far? Please let me know in your comments; suggestions are also appreciated! See ya next time! _


	4. Chapter 4

_First off I wanted to thank all of you who took the time to comment. You guys inspired me to keep writing! I had this chapter up already, but I realized it didnt have a lot of detail in it so I tweaked it a bit. Hope u enjoy the changes :-)_

_A/N 1: I have no medical knowledge, so the conditions/treatments in this story may not even be accurate or real. I apologize if that fact bothers anyone._

A/N 2: I do not own Grey's Anatomy or any of its characters. All characters/storylines belong to Shonda Rhimes. I am just borrowing them for entertainment :-)

* * *

Several hours later, Dr. Addison Montgomery made her way to the on-call room, where Lexie told her Mark was waiting. Her heart was heavy as she thought of how to break the news to her best friend. She needed the right words. But how can you tell someone that your daughter, the one you loved more than anything in the world, was gone forever? She couldn't do it. She sank into the couch just outside the on-call room and buried her head in her hands. She had failed. She was the best neonatal surgeon in the whole country, and she couldn't even save her best friend's daughter. Her eyes filled with tears as she realized what this would do to Callie when she was awake. No doubt she would be devastated; she had wanted this baby more than anything else in the world. In a way, Addison knew how she would feel. Her desire to become a mother herself, and not being able to, was what brought the two of them even closer together. Loosing this baby felt like loosing a part of her soul. She closed her eyes and allowed her grief to come. Tears ran down her cheeks as she began to sob, she gritted her teeth to keep herself from screaming. How could she let this happen? She heard footsteps and looked up to see Lexie Grey walking towards her.

"Addison! I was just looking for Mark to tell him Arizona's out of surgery...is Callie?" the question died in her throat when she saw the redhead's expression. "Oh god, Addison." She sank next to her on the couch.

"Callie is fine, Lexie, she got out of surgery an hour ago." Addison tried to explain. Relief flooded Lexie's face.

"And the baby?" she asked. Addison shook her head silently, unable to say the words out loud.

"There was nothing I could do. She was just so small…and her heart was weak…I couldn't…I couldn't save her…" Addison started sobbing again. Lexie was silent for several minutes, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"You did everything you could, Addison." She whispered, trying to make her friend feel better as she rubbed her back soothingly. Addison shook her head.

"It wasn't enough." The door to the on-call room opened and Mark stepped out.

"Lexie, I was just going to find you. Is Arizona…" Mark's voice trailed off when he finally noticed Addison.

"Addison. What happened?" Addison closed her eyes, unable to speak. Mark knelt down so that he was at her eye-level. "Addison, look at me. What happened?" Addison slowly raised her head but refused to meet Mark's gaze.

"Callie is out of surgery, she's going to be fine."

"Hey, that's great! Is she awake? I bet she's really happy to finally meet our daugher. Can I go see her?"

"She's not awake yet," Addison replied. She took a deep breath to gain control of her voice. "It might take some time for her to wake up fully, she was under for more than 4 hours." Mark nodded, disappointment etched all over his face.

"Oh. Well...she'll have a nice little surprise when she wakes up and sees little Sloan for the first time. I bet she looks just like me!" he grinned. He glanced at both women.

"What? No congratulatory hug for the proud daddy?" he asked in a teasing tone.

"Mark." This time it was Lexie who spoke, and her voice came out strangled. He glanced down at the smaller woman and gasped as the expression on her face told him everything.

"No," he whispered, still staring. "No...thats...impossible..." They were silent for several minutes before Addison finally spoke up.

"Mark...I'm so sorry," she whispered as tears streamed down her cheeks. "She was so little...her heart was weak...I did everything I could..."

"Stop talking." Mark cut her off and gave her a cold stare. "Derek told you to leave that baby in, she wasn't ready to be born...you...you...Addison Montgomery... you killed my daughter!"

"Mark!" Lexie gasped, truly shocked.

"You really didnt give a shit, did you?" Mark raged on. "Derek and I both told you to leave the baby in, and you went ahead and did whatever the fuck you wanted. Selifish, just like always." He needed to hit something. He closed his hand into a fist and punched a hole clear through the wall, ignoring the pain he felt in his knuckles. Both women jumped.

"Mark... please let me explain..." Addison whispered, terrified at the look of pure hatred Mark was giving her. But Mark cut her off. He was in no mood to listen to her pathetic attempts at reasoning with him. After what she had done, he never wanted to speak to Addison Montgomery again.

"No. We're done, Addison. I'm done." he turned and stalked out of the room. Lexie stood up, about to follow him out.

"Mark!" she shouted. Addison put a hand on her arm.

"Let him go...he's grieving. He needs a chance to process." Lexie sighed and flopped back on the couch.

"What he said to you...it was uncalled for. I'm so sorry." Addison nodded. Lexie continued. "It wasnt your fault, Addie. I know you fought like hell to save that baby's life. These things happen." Addison's eyes filled with tears. _Not to me, _she thought to herself. _Not to family._

_

* * *

_

_So what do you guys think? I know this chapter was a bit shorter than the other ones, but I promise next one will be longer! Please dont hate me for killing Callie's baby...I just wanted to give Callie and Arizona the chance to have a family without Mark. Its such an awkward situation and I feel so bad for Arizona since she's kind of the odd one out in the whole ordeal. And of course, I wanted Mark and Lexie to get back together! Stay tuned for the next chapter. Not sure when I'll be able to update again, maybe after the next couple of episodes to see where this story should go. Feel free to leave comments/suggestions. All are welcome! Cheers!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Just want to thank you all again for the positive feedback I've been getting. You guys inspired me to write a lot sooner than anticipated! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please continue to leave feedback. Comments/Suggestions are all appreciated! Cheers!_

_

* * *

_A/N 1: I have no medical knowledge, so some of the conditions/treatments in this story may not be accurate, or even real. I'll try my best to make it as accurate as possible. I apologize in advance if that fact bothers anyone.

A/N 2: I do not own Grey's Anatomy or any of its characters. All characters/storylines belong to Shonda Rhimes. I am just borrowing them for the sake of entertainment :-)

* * *

"Still no change?" a voice asked. Mark looked up. He had been at Callie's bedside since the moment he had walked out on Addison. His neck ached; he had been holding Callie's hand for the past 3 hours, hoping for some kind of reaction. But there was no signs of life as he stared into Callie's empty face. Only the machines monitoring her heartbeat told him that she was still alive. Mark sighed heavily and turned in the direction of the voice, surprised to find Lexie standing in the doorway. She was holding two cups of coffee and had this apologetic look on her face. He was grateful for her presence; it reassured him that despite all that happened, she still cared. His throat got all thick and he shook his head sadly.

"None. I've been here 3 hours...and she hasn't moved an eyelash." Lexie crossed the room in a couple of strides and took a seat next to him.

"I brought you a coffee. Kind of figured you would need it." she smiled tentatively. Mark took the cup and gave her a half-hearted smile.

"Thanks, Lex."

"She's gonna be ok, Mark." Lexie said gently. She set her cup down on the table and reached for his hand, squeezing lightly. Mark flinched at her touch.

"Ouch," he muttered. Flexing his hand, he noticed his knuckles were bloodied and bruised from the punch he gave the wall.

"Want me to take care of that?" Lexie asked. Mark shook his head.

"It's no big deal." He glanced down at the floor. His hand was nothing compared to what his best friend was suffering. He felt a lump rise in his throat.

"What if she's not ok?" Mark whispered. "What if she wakes up and something's wrong with her brain? What if she wakes up and asks about her baby, or for Arizona? I don't think I could be the one to tell her, Lexie. What if we loose her again?" Lexie released Mark's hand and instead wrapped her arm around his shoulders.

"Stop playing what if," she told him firmly. "Just give her time. I know the waiting's not easy, but we won't know anything about her condition Until she..." Mark held up his hand, focusing closely on Callie's face.

"What?" Lexie asked, following his gaze. "Did you see something?" Mark stood up and carefully leaned over Callie's body until he was staring at her face-to-face.

"I'm not sure..." he whispered, continuing to stare at her face. "I thought I saw her eyelids flutter. I could be wrong..." he glanced at the screen that showed Callie's heart rate, frowning slightly when he heard the increase in it's rhythm.

"Cal?" he called tentatively, gently squeezing her hand. "Callie?" The beeping continued to increase steadily. He turned to face Lexie, smiling for the first time in three hours.

"Get Shepherd, I think she's waking up."

* * *

A few moments later, Derek was standing at Callie's bedside, shining a penlight into one of her eyes. He was pleased to see the the pupil react, a sure sign that Callie was responding. He put the penlight back in his pocket and held Callie's hand.

"Callie? It's Dr. Shepherd. If you can hear me, I want you to squeeze my hand as hard as you can."

He held his breath and waited. A moment later, his patience was rewarded with the slightest pressure. "Very good. In just a moment, I want you to do the same for Mark. Can you do that?" More pressure, this time slightly stronger. Smiling, he turned to face the others in the room.

"Mark?" he called. Mark was at his side in an instant, feeling hopeful.

"Dr. Shepherd?"

"I need you to hold Callie's hand and talk to her, please." Mark swallowed and took his spot on the couch, gently taking Callie's hand. For a moment, stupidly, he didn't know what to stay. He rubbed light circles on her hand with his thumb, overcome with emotion at the thought of her waking up. Derek understood what he was going through.

"Just talk. It doesn't matter what you say." Mark cleared his throat.

"Cal? It's Sloan. Can you hear me?" faint pressure on his palm. He continued to talk, realizing that he wished Arizona would be in his position.

"Come on, Cal...time to wake up. We're all here... " he choked, unable to finish. Callie's eyelids fluttered slightly and she opened her eyes. Mark watched as they darted around the room, searching for the one that was missing. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn't for the tube she had in her throat. Her eyes widened in shock, and she started gasping for breath.

"Hey, Cal...relax...you're ok." Mark reassured her, rubbing gentle circles over her back. "Derek's gonna take that tube out in a sec, ok? You're fine" the gasping slowed. Mark stood up and made room for Derek to stand next to him.

"Alright, Dr. Torres...I'm going to count to three and I want you to give me a really big cough. Ok?" Callie nodded weakly.

"Alright then. One...two...three!" Callie coughed. The tube came out slowly and she broke into a fit of coughing. Tears streamed down her face as she spluttered and gasped for air.

"Easy there Callie," Derek said gently. "You're ok...let's get you some oxygen." he nodded to Meredith, who appeared at his side holding the oxygen mask.

"Ok, Callie. I'm gonna put this over your face, but I need you to relax your shoulders and breathe. Ok?" Callie nodded. Mark continued rubbing her back gently, trying to calm her. It worked. Her shoulders slumped, and she took a deep, steadying breath of oxygen. She fell back into her pillows, exhausted. "Good girl. Feel better?" Meredith asked. Callie nodded weakly.

"Welcome back, Dr. Torres. You gave us quite a scare. How are you feeling?" Callie took another deep breath before removing the mask to speak.

"Ari..."she croaked, surprised at how hoarse she sounded. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Ari...zo...na..." she started coughing again and put the mask back on. Mark's eyes filled with tears. This was the part he dreaded. He glanced at Meredith, unsure of what to say. She caught him looking and nodded.

"Arizona's ok, Callie. She got out of surgery a while ago, but shes going to be fine. She's sleeping now." Mark stared at her, dumbfounded. Meredith Grey, lying right in front of Dr. Derek Shepherd? He couldn't believe his ears. At the same time, he was also grateful; Meredith was protecting Callie from the truth.

_"Thanks,"_ he mouthed.

_"No problem,"_ she mouthed back. Derek shot Meredith a look before returning his attention to Callie.

"How are you feeling, Dr. Torres?" he asked again. Callie's eyes filled with tears.

"I need to see Arizona..."she rasped. "Please."

"I promise you she's ok, Cal. Take it easy. I'll send Sloan out for an update." Derek glanced at Mark. Mark stood up quickly, desperate to leave to room before Callie asked about the baby.

"No..." Callie whispered. "Don't leave..." She reached limply for his hand and Mark took it. He gave his friend a reassuring smile.

"I'll be right back, sweetheart. I'm just gonna check on Arizona. Everything's ok." Callie closed her eyes.

"Hurry back." she murmered, already feeling the urge to drift off to sleep. Mark nodded.

"Absolutely."

* * *

_So what do you guys think? This chapter was a lot longer than the last one...really hope you enjoyed it! Please feel free to leave me comments...I'll try to get back to you when I can! Thanks for reading! _


	6. Chapter 6

_thanks again to everyone who took the time to leave me feedback on this story! im having some writers block at this point, hence why this chapter is a lot shorter than the others. Hope you enjoy the little cliffhanger at the end though :-)_

A/N 1: I have no medical knowledge, so some of the conditions/treatment in this story may not be accurate, or even real. My apologies if that fact bothers anyone...I'll do my best to make it as accurate as possible!

A/N 2: I dont own it!

* * *

Mark stepped outside Callie's room with a mixture of fear and regret clouding his thoughts. He hated to leave her side when she needed him the most, but he was terrified that Callie would ask him about her baby. He was grateful to Derek for giving him the escape that he needed; he just couldnt be the one to deliver the bad news. Maybe part of it was because he still hadn't come to terms with loosing a daughter for the second time. Anger flooded through him once again as he walked the halls of Seattle Grace/Mercy West. It wasn't fair. Maybe he just wasn't meant to be a parent. He suddenly realized how hard it must be for Addison and Meredith, who desperatley wanted children but werent able to produce any. Regret washed over him as he thought over his last words to Addison.

_"You didn't give a shit, did you? Derek and I both told you to leave that baby in, but you went ahead and did whatever the fuck you wanted. Selfish, just like always." _and then the worst of all_-"Addison Montgomery...you killed my daughter!" _he shuddered at memory and hoped Addison would somehow forgive him for his idiocy. It wasn't her fault. He was just so consumed with anger at the time that he needed to blame someone, and he chose Addison.

He was thinking hard without paying attention to where he was going, and realized with a start that he was right outside Arizona's room. He shook his head to clear his mind before entering, and was surprised to find Addison sitting at Arizona's bedside.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he blurted out without thinking. He regretted his tone instantly. Addison looked up with this hurt sort of look on her face.

"Hey, Mark. I was just visiting...you guys were all busy with Callie and she doesn't really have anyone, so I thought I'd stop by. I'm sorry, I'll go." she stood up quickly. Mark could see that she was nervous to be in the same room with him. After his little outburst this morning, he really couldn't blame her.

"Addie...wait." She paused and turned around at the door. Her eyes were red and swollen and she looked like she'd been crying for hours. Guilt crept in his stomach and for a moment, he longed to hold her, to pull her close to him and wipe away all the hurt he had caused. He glanced down at the floor, to ashamed to look into her warm brown eyes.

"Im sorry," he whispered. "About what I said to you before." Addison nodded.

"Its ok." She tried to smile, but it was wrong somehow, it didnt reach her eyes.

"No, its not. I was cruel to you, Addie. When you told me what happened, I snapped. I didnt want to listen to anything else you said, because then it would make it real. I couldnt deal with it. I lost a daughter once, and having to go through that again...well-I didnt want to..." he swallowed. "Anyway, you didnt deserve the way I reacted. I'm sorry." He watched as her eyes filled with fresh tears.

"I did everything I could, Mark...I swear..."

"I know." that was all it took for Addison to fall apart. He opened his arms and she fell into them. She pressed her face into his chest and cried until her eyes ran dry.

* * *

Some hours later, Mark woke up with a tingling sensation in his left arm. He realized that he had fallen asleep with Addison in his arms, and he needed to get up to stretch his legs. He stretched his arm carefully, trying not to wake the redheaded beauty, but he had forgotten that Addison was a light sleeper. She stirred at his touch and opened her eyes.

"Hey," he said as she yawned hugely. "Nice of you to join me." Addison smiled up at him.

"Sorry. I didnt mean to fall asleep on you like that. You should have woken me up, Im sure you need to get back to Callie." her voice was still thick with sleep. She cleared her throat. Mark shrugged.

"Its ok. You needed rest, its been a long day."

"How long have I been sleeping? What time is it?"

"A couple of hours. Its after 5."

"Damn." Addison stretched but didnt get up. "How is Callie? Is she awake now?" she asked. Mark nodded.

"Yeah. She's ok. She asked about Arizona as soon as she woke up." Addison's eyes widened.

"Oh my god. You told her?"

"No. Meredith just said that she had gotten out of surgery and she was sleeping. She doesnt know about the coma part, or the baby. I'm sure someone must have told her by now, though." he shuddered at the thought. "I couldnt tell her. Derek sent me to get an update on Arizona."

His eyes traveled over to the blonde.

"She's going to be fine, Mark. We just have to be patient."

"Yeah. The waiting part sucks, though."

"I know." The door suddenly opened and Lexie walked in.

"Mark...Callie's been asking for you and I figured you were still here so..." She glanced between Mark and Addison, noticing for the first time their arms around one another. "Right. I see you two are busy. I'll just go." She left and Mark groaned inwardly.

"Damn it." he muttered. Addison stood up and smoothed the wrinkles out of her skirt.

"Its ok. Go...I'll watch Arizona and page you if there's any changes."

"Thanks, Addison."

"No problem." he hurried out of the room, praying that Lexie would let him explain.

* * *

So...cliffhanger! Do you think Lexie will forgive Mark? Post your comments below!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N 1: I have no medical knowledge, so the conditions/treatments in this story may not be accurate or real. I'll do my best to make it as accurate as possible. I apologize in advance if that fact bothers anyone.

A/N 2: I dont own anything!

_Thanks to everyone who submitted positive feedback on this story. Glad you are all enjoying it so far. Hope you enjoy this chapter too; there's a happy moment with Mark and Lexie I think you might like. Thanks for reading, and please continue to leave feedback/suggestions! _

* * *

"Lexie! Wait up!" he called. He was relieved when Lexie turned around to face him.

"I'm sorry for interrupting. I should have knocked." She said coldly, folding her arms over her chest.

"You were'nt interrupting anything." She raised her eyebrows."Oh really? The two of you looked pretty cozy together."

"Lexie...I didnt know she'd be in there when I went to check on Arizona. She took me by surprise. I was feeling horrible about what I said to her earlier and I had to apologize. Thats all."

"Oh...so that must have been make-up sex then. And in Arizona's room, no less. You disgust me, Mark!" she turned and stalked towards Callie's room. Mark grabbed her arm, determined to make her understand.

"She was upset! She'd been sitting at Arizona's bedside for hours, crying her eyes out! I felt horrible, Lexie. I couldnt just leave her standing there. I had to do something!"

"Yeah, yeah...I get it. Sex is your answer for everything! Has it ever occured to you that you could have comforted her without turning to sex? Like using words for once?" Mark sighed.

"Lexie, I told you nothing happened. She fell asleep in my arms and I didnt want to disturb her because it was a really hard day on the both of us. Please, you really need to trust me on this." Her eyes widened and she laughed bitterly.

"Trust you? _Trust you_! Why the_ hell _should I trust you?"

"Because I love you!" he practically shouted. "I've loved you since the first day I set eyes on you. I've told you this before, Lex, and I'm telling you again now. You've always been the one for me. I'm not interested in anyone else." he paused as Lexie's eyes filled with tears. "You're the only one I want to spend the rest of my life with. Please believe me."

"I want to believe you, Mark. It's just...I can't..."her voice trailed off and she glanced at the floor.

"Please Lexie," Mark pleaded, taking a step closer as he reached for her hand. "Marry me." Lexie's head snapped up.

"What!" she gasped.

"You heard me." she shook her head in disbelief.

"Just because your best friend almost died doesn't mean you get to use that on me. I'm not falling for-" Mark cut her off. He pulled her close to him and his lips were suddenly crushing against hers. He tried to put all of his feelings into the kiss and was pleased to see her respond. Her mouth searched his hungrily as he pulled her closer to him. The to door to Callie's room suddenly opened and they broke apart, Lexie's cheeks blushing furiously as she saw her older sister standing in the doorway.

"Sorry," Meredith said sheepishly. "Mark-Callie's looking for you. She knows about the baby. And Arizona." Mark felt the color drain from his face.

"What! Who told her?" he whispered.

"Cristina." Mark balled his hands into fists.

"Damn it, Yang! She had no right to do that! Why didn't you wait for me?"

"I'm sorry. I tried to tell her to wait for you, but Callie was getting upset so Cristina wound up telling her what happened. I'm sorry," she said again.

"How is she?" Mark asked.

"She's..." words failed to describe exactly how Callie was at the moment. Mark winced, and strode into the room without another word. Meredith glanced at Lexie who stood rooted to the spot.

"Are you ok?" she asked, looking at her sister with concern.

"Mark proposed," Lexie whispered, eyes bright with tears as she stared at the spot where Mark had just been.

"What?" Meredith gasped.

"I know, right? Right after I caught him cuddling with Addison in Arizona's room. He said nothing happened, and that he still loves me, but..."

"Do you love him?" Meredith asked. Lexie nodded. "What did you say when he asked you?"

"Nothing. He kissed me."

"Oh, right. And I interrupted," Meredith laughed. "I think you know the answer to that question, Lexie. Get your butt in there and tell him that you accept the proposal."

"While he's in there comforting his best friend over the loss of his daughter? Yeah, I'm sure now would be the perfect time to tell him that I agree to be his wife!" she said sarcastically. Meredith nodded in agreement.

"Right. Well...maybe now is not the best time." the corners of her mouth twitched.

"What?" Lexie asked, as Meredith continued to stare at her with an awed expression on her face.

"My baby sister's getting married!" she gushed.

"Oh, no no no no. Meredith, I'm not..." but before she could say anymore, Meredith grabbed her sister in a bone-crushing hug, surprising Lexie by braking her no-hug policy.

"Meredith...can't...breathe!" Lexie gasped. Meredith laughed and released her.

"You're gonna let me do your wedding, right? Please say I can do your wedding!" her eyes were shining.

"Hold it, Meredith. I haven't decided if there is gonna be a wedding."

Meredith was still gushing, already beginning to make wedding plans ..."Cristina, Callie and I can be your bridesmaids. Derek, Owen and Alex could be the ushers. Well have to find someone who could be the flower girl..."

"MEREDITH!" Lexie yelled, instantly stopping her rant.

"What?"

"I said I haven't decided if there is gonna be a wedding."

"You're joking, right?" Meredith asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise. Lexie shook her head.

"I just don't know if now is the best time. Right now he's all freaked out about nearly loosing his best friend, losing his daughter and Arizona. And I don't want him to think he has to marry me in order to make it up to me." Meredith sighed.

"He loves you, Lexie. Derek is always talking about how much Mark has changed since he met you. Not to mention the changes _I've_ seen in you since you met him. You should see the way you act when he's around." Lexie could feel herself blushing.

"Am I that obvious?" she asked. Meredith grinned.

"You're become this giggly teenager whenever he's with you. You've changed so much Lexie. Don't let your happiness get away. If you really love the guy, then none of the other crap matters." Lexie paused for a moment to let her sister's words sink in. It was true. She still loved Mark. Despite everything they've been through as a couple, the way she felt about him was unlike anything Lexie had ever experienced. There was no point in hiding her feelings any longer.

"You're right," she whispered.

"Of course I'm right. I'm your older sister, I know you better than you know yourself." she paused. "So what are you going to do?" she asked.

"I'm going to accept his offer. But not now. Not while he's mourning the loss of his daughter. I'm going to wait until the time is right to tell him. Now is definitely not the time."

"On the other hand, I think now will be the perfect time. The man is heartbroken, Lexie. Think how much your acceptance will mean to him if you tell him now. A little bit if good news would give us all something to hope for. Besides, you cant wait around forever."

"Why do you have to be so damn right all the time?" Lexie muttered. Meredith chuckled.

"Because I'm a Grey. Greys are supposed to know everything." Lexie grinned in spite of herself.

"Mrs. Lexie Sloan. I like the sound of that." Meredith grinned back.

"I have to admit, I like it too."

* * *

_So what do you think? I know the ending was kind of cheesy, but Mark and Lexie definatley belong together and I wish they would get back together on the show. Let me know your thoughts, and I'll try to update as soon as I can. Cheers! _


	8. Chapter 8

_I know I've taken a lot longer than usual to update this fic, but I'm having major writer's block on this story. This chapter took forever for me to come up with and I'm not to happy with how it turned out. If anyone would like to be my beta or has any suggestions to where to go from here, PM me and I'll be sure to thank you in my next update! Ahywho, thanks to all of you who continue to read it and leave me comments :-) they make my day :-) _

A/N 1: nope, dont own it!

A/N 2: my medical knowledge is pretty limited so some of the stuff in here may not be accurate! Sorry if that bothers anyone!

* * *

***One week later***

About a week later, the doctors of Seattle Grace/Mercy West hospital had moved Arizona out of the intensive care unit and into the room she now shared with Callie. While she was still unresponsive, a recent head CT had shown that the swelling in her brain had gone down significantly. Derek was pleased with the progress.

"Her brain is healing beautifully, the amount of swelling has gone down tremendously and I am certain that Dr. Robbins will make a full recovery. All we can do now is wait for her to wake up," he explained to Callie, who was sitting at Arizona's bedside holding her hand.

"She'll be fine, right? There won't be any neurological damage?" Callie asked. Derek smiled.

"Well, we were very fortunate to have caught the bleeder early, so I expect that Dr. Robbins should be back to her old self in no time." Callie breathed a sigh of relief.

"How are you holding up, Dr. Torres?" he asked. Callie thought for a minute before she answered. While her heart still ached over the loss of her daughter, she herself had made a full recovery and was scheduled to be discharged the next day. She couldn't wait to leave the hospital and go home to a nice hot bath, clean sheets and decent food. But the thought of going home to an empty apartment completely erased those thoughts.

"I'm doing ok. It's just...I miss her," she answered truthfully, giving the blonde's hand a gentle squeeze. "I don't want to go home without her."

"I can understand that. I can understand how you may be reluctant to leave her. But I am sure that there are things that you need to take care of. I am also sure that Dr. Robbins will be in excellent hands once you are out of this hospital."

"I know," Callie whispered. "But what if she wakes up when I'm not here? I don't want her to wake up all alone..." Callie shuddered.

"Little Grey has been given the job of monitoring her while you are away. She has been instructed to page Dr. Sloan who will call you if there are any changes." Callie nodded but wasn't at all reassured. Seeing Callie's discomfort, Mark squeezed her shoulder.

"She'll be fine, Callie," Mark reassured her. "Although if you need help while you're at home in the shower, Ill be happy to offer you my assistance." Callie blushed and punched him playfully in the arm.

"Shut up," she muttered. Derek cleared his throat.

"Ok, well...everything seems to be in order here. I'll have Bailey come in to give you a final exam and you'll be good to go. It's great to have you back, Dr. Torres." he tipped his head and strode out of the room. Once they were alone, Mark asked,

"So how are you? I mean, really?" Callie sighed. He had been pestering her with that question constantly ever since Cristina had told her about the baby.

"I'm fine, Mark really," she lied. "You can stop worrying." She didn't know why she was lying to Mark. In the past Callie would have broken down and cried in his arms, sobbing until every inch of her body ached. Now, she felt oddly disconnected. She didn't cry once when Cristina told her about her daughter and the thought bothered her. She simply nodded and stared off into space while her heart was shattered into a million tiny pieces.

"Are you sure?" Mark asked, looking at his best friend with concern. Callie rolled her eyes.

"Yes. Stop worrying."

"You're my best friend. Its my job to worry. I'd want you to tell me if you were hurting."

"I'm not." Mark raised his eyebrow, but decided not to push it.

"Ok," he sighed, defeated. "You know you can come to me if you want to talk. I'll be here for you."

"I know. Thanks, Mark." Callie smiled at him. "How are YOU doing? I hear someone got engaged. My belated congratulations." Mark grinned.

"Yeah, she finally accepted."

"I knew she would. When's the wedding?"

"We'd like it to be in the summer. Lexie wants to get married on the beach." Callie's eyes widened with surprise.

"A beach wedding, huh? Wow, I always thought Lexie would be the church-wedding type." Mark laughed.

"Yeah, but she says a beach wedding would be more romantic."

"Can't argue with her there." Callie beamed. "I'm so happy for you, Mark. I'm glad things finally worked out between the two of you."

"Thanks, Cal." The door opened and Miranda Bailey strode in the room, holding Callie's chart in her hands.

"Hey there, Torres. You ready to get out of here?" she asked. Callie shrugged.

"Sure, I guess so."

"You don't sound very enthusiastic." Bailey noted, making a quick note in Callie's chart.

"I don't want to leave my girlfriend," Callie answered. "What if she wakes up when I'm not here?"

"Well, you heard what Dr. Shepherd said. Sloan here will call you if there's any changes. Isn't that right Dr. Sloan?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Alright then. So let's see here..." she flips the chart back to the beginning. "Callie Torres, you arrived here at Seattle Grace/Mercy West on the 5th of January, approximately 28 weeks pregnant. Car accident resulted in various injuries which included a collapsed lung, a punctured abdomen and several lesions to the face and arms, is that correct?" Callie nodded.

"Very good. I'm just going to get a final check on your vital signs and you'll be good to go. Do you have any questions?" she shook her head. "Ok then. Let's get this show on the road..." Callie closed her eyes and allowed Bailey to check her vitals. She winced slightly when she pressed on her abdomen.

"Tender?" Bailey asked, noticing when she flinched.

"A little."

"Well I'd say that's normal, given the extent of your injuries. Anything else that feels sensitive?" My heart, Callie wanted to say. But instead she plastered on a fake smile and said,

"Nope. I feel great."

"Good. Well in that case, you are free to go. Try not to let any trucks hit you on your way home." Callie laughed.

"I'll try my best." Bailey smiled.

"You do that. I've already lost two of my residents, and I'd rather not loose anyone else. Take care of yourself, Dr. Torres." she left. Callie sighed and returned to her spot at Arizona's bedside, lacing the blonde's fingers with her own.

"Seriously, Cal. She'll be fine. Why don't you go home, shower, get something to eat. I'll stay here with her." Mark offered. Callie hesitated. She WAS pretty hungry. The hospital food she'd been living on always turned her stomach.

"Ok, fine." she finally agreed, unable to bear the thought of another fruit cup being jammed down her throat. "I'll make it quick. Promise to call me if there are any changes." Mark nodded.

"Of course." Callie bent down to give her lover a quick peck on the cheek. She brushed away a stray strand of blonde hair that fell over her eyes.

"Hey...Zona?" she squeezed her hand, smiling slightly at the nickname she had come up with. "I'm gonna go home. It seems everyone here is sick of me and want me to leave." she paused, a lump forming in her throat. "Don't wake up while I'm not here, ok? I'll be quick, I promise." she squeezed her hand again and bent down so that she was next to Arizona's ear.

"I love you, baby," she breathed. "More than I've ever loved anything in my whole life." she brushed away the wetness in her eyes before she straightened up to face Mark.

"Ok. Im ready." It was the most unprepared she had ever felt in her life.

* * *

Callie's heart was heavy as she unlocked the door to her apartment. It was the first time she had been alone since the accident and the thought was terrifying to her. She could feel the tears coming on and she made a beeline for the shower, hoping the hot water would help her to get a grip on herself. She stripped and turned the water on high, enjoying the feeling of the water pounding against her back but careful to not disturb the bandages that still covered her left arm. She wished Arizona were here to help her, there was a spot she couldn't reach. Turning off the water, she stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself, pausing at the closet to grab a pair of clean clothes. She dressed quickly. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the shade of pink that would have been her daughter's room. She and Arizona had decorated it a few weeks before, right after Lucy had told them their baby's gender. THEIR baby. She entered the room slowly, her eyes traveling to the crib by the window. The crib was the first thing they had put into the room, a gift from Meredith and Derek Shepherd at their baby shower. The rest of the gifts remained in boxes scattered around the room. She opened a box to reveal the onesie Alex had cleverly decorated to look like surgical scrubs. Her breath caught in her throat as she remembered the awful moment when Cristina told her the truth.

_"Addison did everything she could to save her, but her heart was too weak and she didn't live through the surgery. I'm sorry."_ The onesie fell to the floor as the pain shot through her chest. She couldn't breathe. The tears she had been holding back for so long finally made their appearance and she fell to the floor, curling up into a fetal position and wrapping her arms around her knees as she drew them to her chest. Her dream baby was gone. She never even got to hold her. It wasn't fair. She heard the phone ringing but she couldn't get herself up off the floor. Again, she wished Arizona were with her so she could answer it; she was having a moment, possibly the biggest of her life. The answering machine beeped and she heard Addison's voice.

"Hey, Callie, it's Addie. Heard you got released today and I just wanted to see how you were doing. Call me. Bye." _Addison_. The last person to see her baby alive and the last one to hold her. She picked herself up from the floor and shuffled her way into the kitchen. Heart aching, she picked up the phone and punched in Addison's number.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey Addie. It's Callie."

"Oh, hey you! I'm glad you called. I was just wondering about you. How are you doing? Mark told me you went home."

"Yeah. I just went home to shower and change, but I need to get back. Arizona's still not awake yet." her voice broke.

"Oh honey, I'm sure she'll be ok. I know the waiting part's not easy, but just give her time. She'll wake up when she's ready."

"I know. It's just..." Callie paused, taking a deep breath to gain control over her voice. "It's hard. Coming home to an empty apartment and...seeing the nursery." There was silence on the other end.

"Addie? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Listen, Callie...I'm sorr..."

"Don't apologize. I know you did everything you could to save her. " Callie closed her eyes. If one thing was for certain, it was that Addison would have fought like hell to save the life of her child.

"What did she look like?" Callie whispered.

"Callie..."

"No really. I want to know if she looked more like me or like her daddy." Addison sighed.

"She looked like a combination of the two of you. She had your hair, and your eyes, but Mark was there in her facial features. She was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Callie felt tears stinging her eyes.

"Did you...did you hold her?" If it was any comfort in this at all, Callie wanted to be sure that she was at least held by loving arms.

"Of course I held her. She was so tiny, no bigger than my hand. She only weighed about a pound." Tears streamed down Callie's cheeks but she didn't bother to wipe them away.

"Addie...thank you." she whispered. "For trying to save her. For saving me. For holding her when I wasnt able to hold her myself. I can't thank you enough, Addie." there was sniffling noises on the other line.

"Of course, sweetie. And hey, if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call me, OK?"

"Sure. Listen, I better go. I need to get back to the hospital."

"I understand. Take care of yourself, Callie. And call me when Ari wakes up."

"Will do. Bye, Addie. Thanks for calling."

"Bye, sweetie." she hung up, feeling slightly better than she had when she first entered her apartment.

* * *

_So yeah, the ending was a little sad for this chapter, but hopefully the next one will be better :-) Please review! _


	9. Chapter 9

_Phew. Glad I got over the writer's block after that last chapter! Really thought it would take me longer to update after that, but more ideas came to me this morning and I wanted to write them up quickly before I lost them all :-D here is chapter 9, a lot sooner than I anticipated! Thanks to all who read and review! _

A/N: Due to my limited medical knowledge some of the stuff in here may not be accurate. I apologize in advance if this bothers anyone.

A/N 2: Nope, dont own it!

* * *

Back at the hospital, Callie was surprised to find Mark still waiting at Arizona's bedside. Even more surprising, she found him holding her hand and murmuring words she couldn't hear. She stood outside the door, watching the two of them and feeling happy that they were, in a way, getting along. Mark wasn't exactly Arizona's favorite person. Callie felt her lips tug into a smile at the sight of them, picturing exactly what Arizona would say if she were awake.

"He hasn't left her room since you left," Lexie explained, making her jump. She hadn't realized there was anyone behind her.

"I tried to tell him that it was my job to watch her, that he should look after his patients, but he wouldn't listen."

"Thanks, Lexie. So there havent been any changes?" the young resident shook her head.

"None, other than a slight increase in blood pressure." Callie frowned slightly.

"What does that mean?" she asked. Lexie Shrugged.

"It's probably nothing. I mean, the fluctuation I saw was minimal. But I asked Derek and he said it could mean that she's waking up. We'll continue to monitor her-he thinks she could wake up any day now." Callie's eyes widened.

"You mean she was probably starting to wake up and nobody thought to call me?" Callie swore under her breath. "I thought I could trust you!"

"It was only a couple of numbers. If they were higher, Mark definatley would have called. Anyway, he wanted to be sure you took care of yourself, and if he called, you'd probably come running back to the hospital. He was the one who didnt want to worry you." Callie sighed.

"You're right. I'm sorry-I didnt mean to lash out at you like that. It's been a long day."

"Its ok. I understand." Callie's eyes travelled back to the pair of them, and wished she could hear what Mark was saying.

"Its kind of nice, seeing Mark watching over her like that." Lexie noted, following her gaze to her fiance. "I never thought I'd see them getting along." Callie nodded.

"I know what you mean."

"Anyway, I should probably get going. Page me if you need anything, ok?"

"Sure thing, thanks, Lex."

"No problem." Callie stood in the doorway for a moment, enjoying the sight of her best friend and girlfriend together. Mark sensed her watching and looked up.

"Oh hey-I didnt know you were back already. How'd it go?" he asked. Callie entered the room and took a seat next to him.

"Fine," she lied, trying to wipe away the sudden moisture in her eyes, hoping Mark wouldnt notice.

"What happened?" he asked, looking at her with concern.

"Nothing."

"Callie-remember what I told you before? You can talk to me, I'll always be here for you if you need me." he reached over and brushed a strand of raven hair out of her eyes. Callie finally gave in. She was tired of lying, and besides, talking to Mark always made her feel better.

"I went in the nursery," Callie admitted, glancing down at the floor so he wouldnt see the fresh pool of tears collecting in her eyes. "I couldnt help it. I was getting dressed and...the door was open." Mark exhaled slowly, cursing himself for not having gone with her. He should have realized something like this would have happened and cringed at the thought of Callie going through that alone. While she put on a brave face for everyone at the hosptial, Mark knew his best friend was still suffering on the inside.

"Callie, I'm sorry," he whispered. Callie looked up, surprised.

"For what? I'm the one who was incredibly stupid. It was stupid of me to go in there in the first place."

"You're not stupid. _I _was stupid for letting you go through that alone." he opened his arms and Callie fell into them, burrying her face into his neck. "I should have gone with you." Callie shook her head.

"No, Mark. It was something I needed to do alone. I think...I needed to believe that it really happened. And when I went in there, it just hit me, and...I snapped. I didnt want to believe that she was really gone. But then-Addison called." Mark lifted his head in surprise. He hadn't heard from the firey redhead since she had fallen asleep on him in the on-call room. "She and I talked, and it really helped me come to terms with what had happened. I mean, I'm still not happy about it...but I accepted the fact that it did. Besides, I need to be strong for Arizona. She needs me, and I need her." she paused and flashed him her radiant smile. "By the way, thank you for staying here with her. I was watching you guys from the window, and it really means a lot to me. I'm sure she'll appreciate it." Mark nodded.

"Of course, Cal. I know you love her. We've been acting like idiots the past couple of weeks, and I'm sorry about that. I think I was jealous. I felt like I was no longer your person...you were spending nearly all your time with her and I admit that it hurt. But I can see that you really do love her now, and the love that you two have is inspiring. It makes me believe that Lexie and I have a chance." he paused and gave his friend a small smile. "You've given us hope." Callie was surprised at what she was hearing.

"Its not too late, you know," Mark whispered. Callie stared at him.

"Too late for what?" she asked curiously.

"To try again."

"Try again? What-" Callie paused, her mouth falling open as she grasped what he was saying. She slapped him on the arm.

"OK, seriously? I cant believe you just said that!" Mark's eyes widened.

"I didnt mean with us!" he said quickly. "I meant with her! You deserve a second chance Callie, but doing it right this time. Without me being in the middle of things." Callie let out a breath that she didnt realize she was holding.

"I havent thought about that," she replied after a minute. "I mean, I dont know if Arizona would want...its just...too soon..." Mark nodds in understanding.

"I know. But its something to think about. I just want you to be happy, Callie. And to remind you that you still have options if you want them."

"Something to think about," she repeated, her eyes glistening as she realized what this could mean. It was most definatley something to think about.

* * *

"You're pretty quiet," Mark noted, taking his usual spot next to Arizona's bedside. "Everything OK?" Callie nodded.

"Yeah. Just...thinking."

"About options?" Mark guesses.

"Totally." She squeezes the blonde's hand and stares at her lover's face. Since Mark had mentioned his idea the day before, it was _all_ she could think about. He had given her fresh hope, something she had thought she had lost. Now, she was impatient for Arizona to come back to her, so they could discuss plans for their future. She was tempted to call Derek and have him wake her up with drugs, but she knew that it was probably a bad idea. Her blood pressure was a little higher today and Callie felt certain that she would be staring into Arizona's deep blue eyes any minute now. Mark practically had to drag her out the door to get her to eat something-she refused to leave her side with the exception of bathroom breaks, and even then she only left if she were in dire need. Callie fidgeted, wringing her hands together, crossing and uncrossing her legs, getting up and pacing anxiously around the room. Finally Mark had enough.

"OK, you really need to chill," he told her as she stood up yet again to pace the room.

"I cant help it. Its been over a week, Mark! How much longer?"

"Not long. You heard what Derek said, it could be any minute now. Relax, chill, breathe...she'll come to you." Callie took a deep breath but couldn't relax. The idea that Arizona was _finally _coming back to her had Callie incredibly excited. She flopped back into the chair and reached for Arizona's hand.

"Come on, baby...come back to me..." she whispered as she brushed a strand of blonde hair out of her eyes. "I need you. I miss you. Please..." she squeezed her hand. No response. Callie sighed in frustration and resumed her nervous pacing.

"That's it. I'm getting Derek in here." she said as she paced. "He said he could wake her up himself if she doesnt in the next few days and she hasnt. I cant wait much longer...and I..."

"Callie," Mark interrupted her rambling. "Look." Callie's eyes followed to where Mark was pointing.

"What?" she asked when she couldnt see anything.

"Her hand. I saw it move."

"Are you sure?" Callie returned to her spot by Arizona's bed.

"Yes. Look closely, I swear I saw her finger twitch." Feeling hopeful, Callie took Arizona's hand in hers. Sure enough, there was pressure so light that it felt like a feather had caressed her hand.

"Oh my god," she whispered. Her eyes traveled to Arizona's face, and she watched in awe as her eyelids fluttered. She knew she should probably page Derek, but she remained frozen with excitement. "Zona," she gasped when her eyes finally opened and she was looking into the familiar deep blue.

_"Callie..."_ Arizona's voice was barely above a whisper. Callie felt her heart swell with joy and her eyes swim with tears of happiness.

"I'm right here, baby," she breathed. "Right here. Can you hear me?"

_"Calliope," _came her reply. Callie glanced up at Mark, smiling so hard she thought her cheeks would crack. Mark's answering smile was dazzling.

"I'll get Shepherd," he offered.

"Please," Callie agreed, returning her attention to the blonde. "Oh god baby, you're back! You have _no idea _how much I've missed you!"

* * *

_Yay! Arizona's awake! Told ya this chapter would be happier than the last one :-D. I feel like this story should end soon, but Arizona has to know what happened and she and Callie need to discuss the idea about having another baby. Definatley NOT with Mark, but maybe I could get Addie involved somehow :-) Comments/suggestions are appreciated! Even if you hate it...still want to know. Constructive criticism helps me become a better writer. Cheers!  
_


	10. Chapter 10

_Sorry it took so long for this update. Having writers block again plus my computer decided to give me issues, so I had to update this from the library. I think it may be a virus...getting a ton of error messages. Bahhh. Anywho, here is chapter 10. Enjoy!_

A/N: nope. dont own it.

* * *

Callie stared into her lover's face, so overcome with emotion that she couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks.  
"God, baby, you're back! You have no idea how much I've missed you!" she said breathlessly, covering Arizona's face with kisses.  
"What-what happened? Why am I in the hospital?" Arizona asked, struggling to sit up. Callie added a few pillows behind her and Arizona fell back into them.  
"You don't remember?" Callie asked, frowning slightly.  
"I remember being in the car, but..." Arizona's voice trailed off and Callie could see that she was confused.  
"It's ok, baby. Just take your time."  
Callie said soothingly as she smoothed a strand of blonde hair out of her eyes. Arizona closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. She remembered being in the driver's seat, and hearing the crunch of metal as their car slammed into the trunk of a tree. Callie's face, bloodied and bruised, came to her mind a few moments later. Her eyes flew open.  
"Oh, my god Calliope!" she gasped as the memories came flooding back. Callie's face covered in blood. Sitting next to Kepner in the ambulance, screaming at Avery to keep Callie alive. Dr. Bailey telling her that Addison was on her way to take care of the baby...the baby. Arizona lifted her hand to caress Callie's belly, which she could see that it was now flat and empty. Callie could see the question in her eyes.  
"The baby," Arizona whispered. "Where is she?" Callie sighed and shook her head sadly. Arizona's eyes widened as she saw the answer written on her lover's face.  
"No," she choked. "Dear god, Callie...no!" tears streamed down Arizona's cheeks and Callie brushed them away gently.  
"Addison did everything she could. She had to deliver her early to save me. But she was so tiny, and her heart wasn't strong enough. She...she didn't make it." Callie swallowed the lump in her throat. Arizona shook her head, dazed.  
"I'm so sorry, Callie," she whispered after a moment. "I cant help but feel like this was all my fault." Callie's eyes widened.  
"No." she stated firmly, taking Arizona's hand in hers. "No, baby. I won't let you think that way."  
"I was driving, Calliope," Arizona protested. "And I was distracted. I should have been paying attention. I was being stupid about you texting Mark when I should have had my eyes on the road-"  
"Listen to me," Callie said, gently lifting Arizona's face so she could stare into her beautiful blue eyes. "I want to make one thing perfectly clear. It's not your fault. Accidents happen, and there isn't anything we can do about them." she squeezed her hand. "So I need you to say it."  
"What?" Arizona asked.  
"That its not your fault." Arizona sighed but didn't say anything.  
"Zona..." Callie said warningly.  
"Ok ok ok. It's not my fault. There, happy?"  
"Not particularly. I want you to believe it."  
"But I do." Callie stared at her doubtfully.  
"No, you don't. You weren't looking at me when you said it, which makes me think that you only said it to make me happy. So please, I want you to look me in the eyes and tell me that it wasn't your fault."  
"It's not my fault," Arizona finally replied, voice wavering slightly as she stared into Callie's warm brown eyes.  
"That's my girl." Callie smiled. The door opened and Derek walked in, Mark following closely with a sly grin on his face.  
"Hey, Robbins. Nice of you to finally join us." he said with a smirk. Callie rolled her eyes and noticed Arizona frowning.  
"What's wrong, baby?" she asked.  
"He said "finally join us". Callie shrugged.  
"So? That's just Mark being a jerk. As always."  
"How long have I been in the hospital? What happened to me, exactly?" Callie glared at Mark before answering.  
"You had a delayed brain bleed. Dr. Shepherd was able to control it but needed to put you in a medically induced coma to give your brain a chance to heal. You have been in a coma for about a week now, right, Dr. Shepherd?"  
"Yes. That's correct." Arizona's eyes widened.  
"A week?" she asked in disbelief. No wonder she felt so confused.  
"How are you feeling, Dr. Robbins?" Derek asked kindly.  
"Fine. A little out of it...but..." Mark chuckled and Callie swatted his arm.  
"That's normal. In a few minutes Dr. Bailey will be in to give you an exam. You'll also need a new head CT to make sure everything is healing properly. Do you have any questions?"  
"When can I go back to work?" she asked. Callie raised her eyebrows.  
"Not for a while, I'm afraid. I'd like to keep you here for another week just to make sure you are ok. You had quite a bit of swelling in your brain and we'll need to run tests to make sure everything is functioning properly. Until then, I dont feel comfortable with you returning to work just yet." Arizona nodded.  
"What about my patients?"  
"Dr. Stark will be taking care of them for the time being." Arizona groaned inwardly. That little man got on her nerves.  
"Any other questions?" Derek asked. Arizona shook her head.  
"No, I think that's everything. Thank you, Dr. Shepherd."  
"Your welcome. I'll be sending Bailey in a few minutes." as soon as he left the room, Arizona burst into tears.  
"Hey, hey hey! What's wrong, baby?" Callie asked, rubbing her back soothingly.  
"I'm sorry. I just..." Arizona gulped and took a deep breath. "I'm overwhelmed, Callie. First I wake up and realize that the baby is gone. Now I hear that I've been in a coma for a week, and that I'll be here for another week before I can get back to work. And as if that weren't enough, some mean old man is going to look after my patients while I'm recovering. I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but...I really, really hate Dr. Stark!"  
"We can find someone else," Callie said quietly.  
"There is no one else. Let's face it, Calliope. You and I both know that I'm awesome." Callie and Mark both laughed.  
"You're right, blondie," Mark said with a chuckle. "I really have missed your awesomeness." Arizona looked at him questioningly.  
"He hasn't left here since I woke up," Callie explained, seeing the question in Arizona's eyes. "In fact, he stayed here holding your hand while I went home to shower and change." Callie decided not to mention going into the nursery or the phone call with Addison.  
"You did?" Arizona asked in disbelief. "Well, now I feel like a shmuck." Mark sighed heavily.  
"I was the one being stupid about your relationship. I talked to Callie about this, but now I think I should talk to you about it too. I was jealous, Arizona, of what the two of you had. Callie was spending all of her time with you and it hurt. But now I see that she really does love you, and that you really care about her. You guys-you deserve a second chance, without me being in the middle of things."  
"Wow," Arizona breathed. She couldn't believe the words that were coming out of Mark Sloan-the very same man that everyone referred to as a manwhore's -mouth.  
"Mark made a rather interesting suggestion to me the other day," Callie said, grinning broadly at Mark who could easily see what she was about to say. "I wanted to run it by you first, see how you feel about this."  
"What's that?" Arizona asked curiously.  
"How do you feel about-about trying again? Not right away, of course. But I thought we could maybe get Addison involved." Arizona glanced at Mark.  
"This was your idea?" she asked, for the first time feeling respect for the man in front of her. Mark grinned.  
"Hey-I'm just doing my best friend duties here. And reminding Callie that she still has options. " Arizona smiled at Mark, her eyes sparkling and showing her dimples.  
"In that case, I'm in."  
"Really?" Callie asked. Arizona nodded.  
"Absolutely. But I want to ask you something first."  
"Ok, shoot."  
"Will you marry me?" Callie's eyes widened in surprise. Arizona took her hand in hers and squeezed it gently."I know I don't have a ring or anything to give you, but we can get to that later. I love you more than I have ever loved anything, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you knowing that you feel the same way about me. So, Calliope Iphegenia Torres, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Callie was taken by surprise when the door opened and Dr. Bailey walked in-she had forgotten Arizona needed a new head CT.  
"Dr. Bailey, Robbins just proposed to Torres-maybe you should give them a moment?" Mark said with a smirk. Dr. Bailey's eyes widened.  
"Of course, um...I can come back?" Callie shook her head.  
"No, Dr. Bailey, that won't be necessary." she turned her attention back to the blonde.  
"Yes." she replied. "Yes, I'll marry you." Arizona's smile lit up the room. She threw her arms around Callie and captured her lips in hers, murmuring a soft "I love you" into her ear.  
"As I love you," Callie replied, gently kissing the top of her head. "Always and forever."

* * *

_So what do you think? Hope you all enjoyed it! I'm thinking in wrapping it up in the next chapter, maybe doing an epilogue with Mark and Lexie's wedding and Callie/Arizona talking to Addison about plans for their future. Not sure when I'll post it, but I''ll try to do it soon. I'm working on another story at the same time (A Private Practice one) and its getting confusing LOL. Glad you're enjoying it so far and as always-please review! _


	11. Chapter 11

_So I know I took way too long updating this story...I was having some major writer's block and working on 2 other stories at the same time...not such a good idea LOL. Anyway, this is the final chapter. I'm really happy with how this story turned out, and I hope you are too! Thanks to all of you who followed this story to the end and left me comments, and an extra special thanks to my friend NKBROCKS2007 for helping me write this chapter! You rock! _

A/N: Nope, dont own it.

* * *

**~*EPILOGUE*~**

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Callie watched as her best friend cradled Lexie's face in his hands and kiss her passionately. The room erupted in loud applause and the two of them walked down the isle holding hands, both of them grinning broadly as friends and family members stopped to congratulate them. She felt a soft hand brush by hers and looked up to see Arizona standing next to her.

"That's going to be us soon," Arizona whispered into her ear.

"Shhh!" Callie shushed her. They hadn't announced their engagement yet, not wanting to spoil the excitement for Mark and Lexie. Callie had made Dr. Bailey and Mark swear not to tell anyone, since the two of them were both witnesses to Arizona's proposal. Miranda agreed rather reluctantly, but shot Callie the famous "Bailey eyes" each time they were near each other. Callie pretended not to notice.

"I never thought I'd hear myself say this, but I'm really happy for Mark right now." Arizona admitted. Callie grinned.

"I'm glad the two of you were able to set aside your differences. He's a great guy, once you get to know him." Arizona nodded.

"Yeah, you're right. Once you get past the whole man-whoreness, he's not so bad." Callie felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around.

"Addison! You made it!" she flung her arms around her best friend. "I'm so happy you decided to come."

"Yeah, I couldn't pass up the chance to see Mark Sloan finally get hitched." Callie laughed.

"Unbelievable, isn't it? I never thought I'd see the day."

"Me either. Oh, hey Arizona!" Addison finally noticed the blonde and greeted her warmly. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better now that I'm finally out of the hospital."

"Good, that's good! So, any chance that you two might follow Mark's footsteps?" Callie glanced at Arizona.

"Should we tell her?" she asked. Arizona shrugged.

"Ahh go ahead. She's your best friend." Callie beamed and held up her left hand, now sporting a shiny diamond ring.

"We're engaged!" Addison's eyes widened.

"Wow, that's great, you guys! I'm so happy for the two of you!" she gave each of them a quick hug.

"We haven't told anyone yet. But we're going to announce it soon. The only people who know are you, Mark, and Bailey."

"I can keep a secret." Addison pointed out. Callie grinned.

"I know." she paused for a moment.

"Actually, Addie, I'm really happy you're here. Arizona and I want to talk to you about something."

"What's that?" Addison asked curiously.

"We'd like to have a baby. We're not sure when, exactly. Probably sometime after our wedding. But we'd defiantly like your help. Right, Zona?"

"Absolutely."

"Wow, of course, you guys. I'd be happy to help. Have you started searching for a doner yet?" Callie shook her head.

"No. We thought we'd run the idea by you first." Addison nodded thoughtfully.

"Ok. Well, I'll have to talk to a few people and make some calls. But like I said, I'd be more than happy to help."

"What are you people whispering about over here?" Mark's voice rang out suddenly, making Callie jump. "Oh, hey Addison!" he gave the redhead a quick hug. "Glad you decided to join us."

"Yeah. I still can't believe you did it, Mark. I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks, Addie." he glanced at Callie and he could immediately tell what the three woman were planning.

"So let me guess. You're talking about options?" he asked in a teasing tone. Lexie and Meredith caught up to him.

"What about options?" Lexie asked. Callie groaned. So much for keeping a secret. Mark winked at Callie and said to Lexie,

"Come on, Mrs. Sloan! It's time to cut the cake!" he grabbed his new wife by the arm and steered her away, but Meredith stayed put, eyeing them suspiciously.

"What's Sloan talking about?" she asked. "What options?"

"Nothing! It's-a surprise!" Arizona said quickly. "Come on, Calliope. Let's dance."

"Talk to you later!" Callie called to Addison over her shoulder. She allowed Arizona to take the lead, gently swirling their way to the dance floor.

"That was close," she mumbled as Arizona placed her hands on her hips. Arizona giggled.

"Too close. It's a good thing Lexie didnt find out, you and I both know how well she does with secrets." Callie laughed.

"I know." they swayed together for a moment, keeping a slow but steady pace with the music.

"We really should tell them soon, you know," Callie said softly as Arizona spun her around. "It's only a matter of time before Bailey gets drunk and tells everyone herself in one of her speeches."

"Do you really think she'd do that?" Arizona asked doubtfully as she watched Bailey's pathetic attempts at flirting with Eli.

"Oh yes, she would."

"Tonight." Arizona stated firmly as Eli offered Bailey a glass of wine.

"What? No-we can't!" Arizona grabbed both of Callie's hands and squeezed them gently.

"We'll announce it tonight. After Mark and Lexie leave for their honeymoon." Callie stared into Arizona's warm blue eyes and felt herself getting lost in them.

"Tonight." she repeated softly, her face breaking out into Arizona's favorite smile. Arizona leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Callie's cheek.

"I love you," she murmured softly into her ear."So much."

"Not as much as I love you." At that moment Mark stepped up and tapped the microphone.

"Hello? Is this thing on?" he asked. Callie grinned as his voice echoed around the room. _Smooth move, Sloan, _she thought to herself. Mark cleared his throat nervously.

"Well-ahh...first of all, I want to thank all of you for coming. On behalf of Lexie and myself, it means a lot to have all of you here with us to celebrate our special day." he glanced around the room, smiling at each of the happy couples that were present before him. His eyes twinkled as they lingered in Callie for a moment.

"So...I know today is supposed to be about me, but..." there were a few chuckles as Mark continued to gaze at Callie in wonder. "I wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for my best friend, Calliope Torres. What I'm trying to say is..." Mark paused and threw a brilliant smile in Callie's direction. "I dont think that i would have had the balls to finally ask my beautiful wife to marry me if it weren't for my best friend. I watched her sit at Arizona's bedside, keeping constant vigil. I know I was a thorn in both woman's sides, but the truth is, it was their love that inspired me. Watching them, I knew that love conquers all, and it was that thought that helped me move forward in my relationship with Lexie. So, Calliope Torres and Arizona Robbins, I want to thank the both of you for the inspiration and strength you have given me." The room burst into applause and the air was filled with the sound of clinking glass. Callie glanced at Arizona and saw that she had tears in her deep blue eyes, and that her thoughts matched her own.

"Forget what I said about being a manwhore," Arizona mumbled as she wiped the tears from her face. "Mark Sloan is awesome." she grinned at Callie. "Will you excuse me for a moment, I have to find him and thank him for that seriously awesome speech." Callie nodded, and went off to join Addison while Arizona pushed her way through the crowd.

"Hey, Robbins." he greeted her. "Enjoying the party?"

"Mark, thank you." she said earnestly, ignoring his question.

"For what?" he asked.

"You know what. The speech. The talk about options. Everything." Mark nodded.

"Sure thing, Zona." she swatted his arm playfully.

"Ok, you did NOT just call me that."

Mark grinned.

"Something I picked up from Torres while you were getting your beauty sleep or whatever." his grey eyes softened. "I meant what I said about the two of you being an inspiration. Take care of her, will you? Look after each other." Arizona nodded but couldn't speak due to the lump that had formed in her throat. Mark squeezed her shoulder and went off to find Lexie, while Arizona went off in search of Callie. She scanned the tables and quickly spotted her talking to Lexie in the far corner of the room. Arizona chewed on her lower lip, wondering if she should join them or give them privacy. She settled herself at a table that was near enough to watch but not close enough to hear any conversation.

"Lexie, you love Mark, right?" Callie asked as she studied her face intently. Lexie nodded, nervously wringing her hands. She wondered what it was that Callie wanted and couldnt help but feel intimidated by the gorgeous Latina in front of her.

"Yes," she said, trying to make her voice sound confident. "I love him very much." Callie put a hand on top of Lexie's to stop her fidgeting and stared into her warm brown eyes.

"Look, I don't mean to be intimidating," she said slowly. "Just keep this in mind-I break bones for a living. If you hurt Mark in any way, shape or form, I will have to find you and rearrange your face. Got that?" Lexie nodded again, knowing that Callie meant what she said.

"Callie, I wouldn't..." she started to say that she would _never _dream of hurting Mark, but when Callie removed her hand from hers, her eyes caught something sparkly on Callie's left hand. She grabbed it before Callie could yank it away.

"You're engaged!" she shrieked loudly, causing people to turn and stare. "When? How?" Callie groaned.

"Shut up, Grey!" she mumbled. But Lexie didnt seem to notice, or even hear, Callie's protests.

"Oh, my god! Thats great! Hey! MEREDITH!" Lexie yelled for her older sister.

"There you are," Mark said as he took his wife by the waist. "I've been looking all over for you."

"Did you know Callie was engaged?" Lexie demanded. Mark grinned.

"I witnessed the proposal." Callie groaned again and knew that the surprise was ruined now that Lexie knew, which meant that she and Arizona needed to announce it tonight whether they wanted to or not. She spotted Arizona at a table nearby and waved to get her attention.

"Whats up?" the blonde asked once she made her way past the crowd.

"Lexie knows about us." Arizona's eyes widened in surprise.

"She does? How?"

"She saw my ring."

"Oh, crap. Guess this means we tell people tonight, huh?" Callie nodded, wondering how on earth she was going to do it. As usual, Mark seemed to sense what she was thinking and offered her the microphone.

"No. No WAY!" she sputtered when she saw what he had in mind. Mark shrugged.

"What? Its the only way to tell everyone at the same time."

"Mark, today was supposed to be about you and Lexie," Callie protested. "I cant do this now."  
"Its either that or have Bailey give us one of her drunken speeches," Arizona pointed out.

"Blondie's got a point." Mark grinned. "Do the honors, Torres." Callie looked down at the microphone and quickly handed it to Arizona.

"You do it."

"Why me?" Arizona asked in surprise.

"Because I have a fear of speaking in public and I dont think Lexie would appreciate it if I ruined her wedding dress with my puke." Arizona laughed as Lexie mumbled,

"You got that right." Arizona could feel everyone's eyes on her as she straightened up with the microphone in her hand. She cleared her throat and flashed a briliant smile that showed off her dimples.

"So now, I'd like to announce that even though Callie and I are still grieving the loss of our daughter, I'd like to be the one to announce a few things. First off, with the help of our dear friend Mark, who is now my newest best friend, and the help of Dr. Addison Montgomery, Callie's oldest best friend, Callie and I are now looking into options for starting a family in the future. But first..." she takes Callie's left hand and gives it a soft kiss before she holds it up high. "First, we have to get married." Mark takes back the microphone as surprised murmurs travel around the room. As he and Lexie prepare to leave for their honeymoon, he announces,

"Yes, people. They are engaged."

~*THE END*~

* * *

So what do you think? Please continue to leave me comments, they really make my day! Also, my friend NKBROCKS2007 has requested to continue this story, we may be doing a sequel together sometime in the future, so stay tuned :-)


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